There are times when you accidentally spend too much and have to face the bills later.
Then, there are times when you have a medical emergency, and can’t afford to pay what’s due.
This can be an extremely difficult scenario to navigate, especially if you’re still unwell.
Here’s what to do when you get medical bills you can’t afford.
Validate the Costs
The first thing you’ll want to do when you get an unaffordable medical bill is to validate the costs of the procedure.
It would be inaccurate to say the healthcare system in the U.S. is disorganized—only because a cohesive system doesn’t really exist.
When healthcare is just an amalgamation of different for-profit organizations revolving around privatized insurance, it should come as no surprise that they’re constantly making mistakes.
If your medical bill doesn’t seem right, ask the healthcare provider to prove the costs to you.
It’s certainly possible they made an error.
Furthermore, if you have insurance, it could be a case that you were charged for services that were actually supposed to be covered under your plan.
Make sure your medical bill is accurate before you go through with paying anything.
Otherwise, you might end up paying back something you not only can’t afford but also don’t really owe.
Don’t Just Ignore It
Ignoring bills isn’t going to make them go away. Medical bills are no exception to that rule.
Eventually, it will get sent off to collections, which is when you’ll really wish you hadn’t ignored the bill.
Collection agencies are experts at getting people to pay.
Their entire business is built on this concept.
Not only will you have to deal with the unpleasant phone calls and other elements of debt collection, allowing this to happen can negatively impact your credit.
Paying your bills on time is the top factor in determining your FICO Score.
If you lapse on this major element, recovery can take a long time.
Don’t Use Credit Cards to Pay for It
Maybe the only way to truly make an unaffordable medical bill worse for you is by paying for it with your credit cards.
Yes, you don’t want to have to deal with the feeling of owing money on your bills.
Putting the cost on a credit card can relieve this in the short term.
However, putting a medical bill you can’t afford on your credit card will likely harm your finances in the long run.
While it kicks the can down the road a bit, you’re still going to have to pay back that money—and more once you include the high-interest rates of your credit card.
While this can be a tempting ploy—especially since credit card balances can be carried over for long periods of time—if you can’t afford the bill now, you likely won’t be able to afford it later either.
This is really just swapping a zero-interest option for a high-interest one, which will cost you more the longer you don’t pay it.
Negotiate a Repayment Plan
If you can’t afford to pay a medical bill, you might be able to negotiate directly with the healthcare provider.
Medical bills are often cited as the most common reason for individuals to file for bankruptcy in the United States.
Therefore, it’s no secret that a lot of people struggle to pay back unaffordable medical bills.
Working with the healthcare provider might make it possible to set up an interest-free repayment plan, or maybe even pay the insurance rate.
It’s in the best interest of everyone to find a program that will allow you to pay your medical bills.
Seek Expert Assistance
Individuals who are really struggling through this process might want to seek out some expert assistance.
There are medical advocacy groups that might be able to direct you toward resources that can help you deal with your unaffordable medical bills.
You might also want to look to a credit counselor or debt relief program if medical bills aren’t the only area where you’re struggling financially.
Having the right people in your corner can make a huge difference when dealing with any kind of bills.
Having to deal with medical bills can be extremely discouraging.
You didn’t choose to be sick, so suffering even more through the high costs of treatment can just add insult to injury.
Use these tips to navigate the tricky world of repaying unaffordable medical bills.